


A pet, a delicacy, a companion

by Emptynarration



Category: Youtube RPF, Youtube egos
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gen, Mermaid!Host, Original Species, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-18 10:56:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19333144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emptynarration/pseuds/Emptynarration
Summary: His gaze was drawn to one of them away from the rest, resting on a rock in the corner.Their tail was a gorgeous golden colour, specks of brown and beige giving the illusion of a hundred colours coating their tail as they laid there.More scales decorated their arms and sides, even along their jaw.Edward didn't want to admit it, but they weregorgeous.-Dr. Edward Iplier bought a tiny merman -a Leybronn- as company for inside his clinic.But he can't keep him there the entire time, when he isn't there for days sometimes.He worries that the ego manor is unsafe for the tiny creature though.





	1. Chapter 1

Honestly, he wasn't sure what he was doing here.

Doctor Edward Iplier spend most of his time in the manor with the other egos, because with a house full of children, there needed to be _someone_ who took care of them when they were hurt. And since Edward was the only one who seemed to have any clue how to be a responsible adult, _and_ a doctor, that role fell onto him.  
Of course he also had his clinic to take care off. Even with over a dozen of egos, there wasn't possibly enough work to keep the doctor busy 24/7. And, well, they might live in a manor almost secluded from other people, and power said manor with mostly magic, but they were still in need of actual money, and actual connections to water and electricity; and keep those bills paid.

Also, food that was “poofed” into existence by Wilford always had a strange taste to it, which made everyone prefer actual food. Except Wilford, who was perfectly content eating the things he brought into existence without a care in the world -Edward suspected they weren't that healthy either, but he was a doctor, and not someone who would analyse food.

All of that was beside the point, though.

Edward had had a long day at the clinic, and it was getting late. With all the stress weighing down on his shoulders, he just wanted to stroll through the mall, go window shopping. Relax as the day slowly came to an end.

It was thus he found himself standing in front of a pet-store. Deciding animals were always adorable to look at, he went inside, and walked around.  
“Just looking around.”, he told the kind worker asking if he needed help. He didn't plan on actually buying a pet anyways. He wouldn't trust the egos in the manor to take care of one or respect another living being that needed care different from humans, and he couldn't exactly keep a pet in the clinic.

His gaze was caught by the colourful display of the fish, and he walked over, watching them. The clinic had an aquarium, actually. It was empty, though, and there were just some things inside of it like a showcase. He supposed a few fish would maybe be nice. For all he knew, they didn't need too much care, and they'd be safe in the clinic even if he wasn't there.

Perhaps he should get some fish. It'd give the patients something to look at while waiting too -the children would probably love it.

Strolling along the displays, he halted.

It took a moment for him to remember the actual mermaid like creatures. He knew there were differently sized kinds, from the giants deep deep in the ocean -forever sending a shudder down his spine- to more human sized versions, and these ones. Small, maybe 5 to 8 inches long.  
He had heard they were considered a delicacy, which always made his stomach turn. These creatures were as smart as humans, surely, and looked incredibly alike as well.

He watched them, quietly. There were five different ones in this aquarium, as far as he could tell. Their tails were gorgeous, the most amazing colours. He could hear quiet sounds from them, like clicking, and he wondered if they were communicating.

His gaze was drawn to one of them away from the rest, resting on a rock in the corner. Their tail was a gorgeous golden colour, specks of brown and beige giving the illusion of a hundred colours coating their tail as they laid there. More scales decorated their arms and sides, even along their jaw.  
Edward didn't want to admit it, but they were _gorgeous_. He could see their eyes, a milky golden colour. They were unlike a human's eyes, with no visible sclera, and a milkiness to them. This one had no pupils either, which made Edward wonder. He could spot the other ones having pupils, small black dots.

Edward had to say, this little one was really beautiful. He had no actual clue what they were called, since they weren't exactly mermaids. He supposed merpeople would do? He didn't know a whole lot about the different kinds that existed.

He supposed he could maybe free them from this aquarium. It seemed cramped with five of them in there, and rather... well, he would say it didn't look like a place he wanted to live in, if he were one of their kind. He'd do some research on them, see how to take care of them. Perhaps he could have a little friend in the clinic with him, someone to talk to during late nights -of course he knew he'd get no reply, but still. Better than being fully lonely, right?

He smiled lightly as he watched the other four swim around, before he turned away to go ask a clerk about them. He had no clue what might happen with any animal staying here too long, but he hoped buying one would make their life easier and better for them. It'd be nice, at the very least.

“Excuse me?”, he spoke up, gaining the attention of the friendly lady from earlier. She turned to him with a smile, a friendly “Yes?” directed at him.  
“I was wondering about the-”, he waved his hand around a little, searching for the right word, before motioning over to what he meant, “the little mermaids? I suppose?”.  
“Oh, yes.”, the lady smiled, looking over at the aquarium before back at Edward. “They're called Leybronn.”, she told him, and Edward made a noise of understanding. So that was what they were called -weird, but what else could he expect?

“I wanted to ask about them.”, Edward said again then, feeling more certain what he was talking about now at the very least. “I was thinking about maybe acquiring one, and wanted to know what they need, and what to know about them.”.

The lady went ahead and started telling Edward all about them then. What sort of aquarium they needed, what size was ideal for one alone, the type of water, food, plants to set inside the aquarium, and everything else Edward might want to know.

Edward listened attentively to her talk, nodding along. He'd have to measure out the aquarium at the clinic, but he was sure it was big enough for a single Leybronn. He'd have to clean it out properly, and buy the necessary equipment for it, some things to put inside as well... It'd be expensive, but he hoped it'd be worth it.

“I have another question.”, Edward hummed, having taken some notes on a piece of paper he had crumbled in his pocket -he did carry pens around constantly anyways. “With their human like appearance, and connections to mermaids, can they speak? How do they communicate?”.

“Leybronnen are capable of speech, though only above water. They have their own language, but are capable of learning English and alike as well. Underwater they communicate with clicking sounds. The blind of their kind also use it for echolocation.”, the lady explained, and Edward nodded along. He noted it down as well, and he wondered if Leybronnen -what a curious plural- were trained to know English. Like some animals were taught tricks or were specifically trained for different illnesses.

“Alright, thank you so much. I'm definitely interested now, and I'll be coming back.”, Edward said with a smile. He'd look through his resources, and perhaps he could ask Wilford to poof some things into existence for him. Sure he could buy it all, but.. well, he only had so much money, and since it was for him only, he couldn't exactly ask for money from Dark.

He made his way out of the shop, then, and out of the mall. A Leybronn. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. The aquarium in the clinic was partially inside the wall, but could be pulled out further if need be. It normally stood out a few inches anyways, giving access to the top. Edward could leave a few inches of air instead of filling it completely with water, and give the Leybronn a way to get to air and speak if they wished.

He had fully forgotten to ask about gender and such. He didn't know if he could even keep a lone Leybronn, or if it was like parrots -he didn't remember exactly which kind- who died of loneliness. Well, he would ask the next time he was around. For now, he was going to be busy for a couple of days readying the aquarium.

-

Days later, Edward was ready. The aquarium was clean and filled with the freshwater needed. He had gotten rocks and some driftwood, and covered the ground with sand and gravel. He had gotten plants and moss for inside the tank as well, making sure everything was good, had the right level of light and everything. At least he hoped it was good, because he was rather certain taking care of the plants would be harder than taking care of the Leybronn.  
He had made sure to make a little platform of sorts near the top, an inch below the water surface, attached to the glass walls. He didn't know much anything about Leybronn, but perhaps they would like to sit there? At the very least it'd be easier to hold onto that and get above water than the edge of the glass.

Coming back to the pet store, he went over to the Leybronn first, smiling lightly as he looked at them. The same five were still there from last time he had been here, and he found the golden one again on their rock on the corner.

He quickly made his way over to the cashier then, excited. The transaction was over with rather quickly, thankfully, and then Edward was going with a clerk to the tank with the Leybronnen. He looked a little uncomfortable with seeing they'd be treated just like fish, but how else to get them out and transport them?  
He showed the kind lady which Leybronn he would like, and watched quietly as she went to work to get them out of the water and into the plastic bag, filled with water.

The other four Leybronnen swam away from the net, making clicking sounds, which caused the golden one to look up and face the net coming towards them. They seemed tense, but didn't fight it as they were scooped into the net. They made clicking sounds in reply to the other four, and then they were lifted out of the water, somewhat carefully being put into the bag then.  
Their little hands pressed against the plastic around them, some clicks leaving them, before they were quiet. The bag wasn't really big enough for them to swim around in, sadly.

“Thank you so much.”, Edward told the clerk with a smile, taking the closed bag from them and carefully holding it. He didn't want to disturb the Leybronn too much, and get them to the clinic quickly.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”, he remembered suddenly, and he mentally apologized to the little Leybronn. “I wanted to ask about their gender, and if they'll be alright living on their own.”.

“Your Leybronn is a male. He should be alright on his own, though it may happen that he gets depressed without company. Keep a close eye on him.”, the lady replied, and Edward relaxed, nodding lightly.  
“Thank you.”, he said again, then. “Have a good day!”, he smiled as he left, looking at his Leybronn as he made his way out of the mall.  
They -or rather he, Edward supposed- was rather still in the bag, hands on the plastic. His gaze was sweeping around, and never seemed to stay on any one thing. Edward was rather certain his Leybronn was blind, from the look of his eyes.

“You'll be outside that bag soon enough, I promise.”, Edward said softly. He had no clue if the Leybronn understood him or not, but that didn't mean he wouldn't talk to him anyways.

He hurried back to his clinic then; already closed for the day. He hadn't wanted to rush and especially he hadn't wanted the Leybronn to get nervous or scared with a lot of people running around either.

“Already there.”, Edward hummed, and made his way over to the aquarium. He opened the top carefully, before setting the bag into the water. He had let himself be told how to put his Leybronn into the aquarium, and he was trying his hardest to make sure they'd be okay.  
“You can get out in a minute. And then you can get some food.”, Edward spoke softly. He just hoped even if he wasn't understood, that his.. he didn't want to say pet... his companion understood the tone of his voice and didn't feel stressed because of all the changes happening.

After a few minutes, Edward had the empty bag in his hands, and watched the Leybronn inside his new home. The aquarium was a lot bigger than the one in the store, and had a lot more plants inside, as well as a lot of rocks. Edward had guessed this little one liked laying on rocks from his one visit.

“There's a lot of plants, and rocks.. and close to the surface is a little platform you can hold onto or sit on.”, Edward said softly, watching his Leybronn. He was swimming around slowly, making clicking sounds as he did. He vanished between plants, sometimes fully hidden from view, exploring his new home.  
Edward smile as he watched, hoping it was to his liking. He wanted him to be alright here, living with him, in his clinic. He walked off then, to go get some food for his new little companion.

Leybronnen ate small fish and shrimp, and apparently could also eat other raw meat. There were some dried things that were able to be bought in pet stores as well. Edward had been quick to decide he'd rather feed his Leybronn meat and seafood than these weird dried things he wasn't sure were necessarily healthy.  
So Edward had bought these really small shrimps -he didn't know the difference between all of these things, honestly- and kept them in the little fridge he had here. With how much he stayed here, of course he had one. Walking back over to the tank, he opened the top again.

“I have some food for you.”, he said softly, and he dropped a few of the little shrimp into the water. He watched the Leybronn as he turned to face the food, slowly sinking to the bottom. He was incredibly fast as he shot towards them, sharp fingers gripping the shrimp and biting into it -Edward would guess it was a place where it'd kill the shrimp if it weren't already dead.  
He watched, curious, as his little companion ate. His teeth seemed very sharp, and Edward hoped he would never get bitten by those teeth. He was rather sure it would hurt quite badly.

He smiled as the Leybronn seemed happy eating his food, and Edward put the rest he had back into the fridge. He would probably have to come up with a better idea on how to keep them, not wanting to give his new companion anything that had gone bad. Perhaps he could freeze it in small batches, and thaw a portion every day for his friend to eat then.

“I'll be sitting here working, alright? Make a sound if you need me.”, Edward said and smiled lightly at the Leybronn, even though he didn't seem to pay any attention to Edward. The doctor chuckled softly, smiling, and went to his desk. He could do some paperwork, just be here to get the Leybronn accustomed to him. He hoped he would be alright with him gone for the night though.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Edward hoped the Leybronn would be fine with patients coming and talking and looking at him. He had put up a little sign next to the aquarium to tell people -mostly children- to not tap on the glass, hoping that'd be enough to keep his little companion safe.  
So far, he seemed alright where he was. At least Edward thought so. The little Leybronn had explored his new home and seemed okay with the different plants and all the hiding spaces, and had found a rock to lay upon as well.   
Edward thought his new companion was okay with his new home, and he hoped he might one day get to talk with him. Or try to, at least.

He was anxious when the clinic was opened the next day. He was defrosting some shrimp to give to the Leybronn later, and prepared for the day. The two nurses were told about their new companion -both finding the “pet” incredibly cute and pretty- and to keep an eye on the patients to not bother him.

So Edward went through the day, taking the time to feed the little Leybronn while there were no patients for a minute or two.

“Doctor?”, one of the nurses spoke up, as Edward watched with a small smile as the Leybronn “hunted” his shrimp and ate them.  
“Yes?”, Edward turned to look at her, tilting his head.  
“Does he have a name?”, she questioned, and Edward was a little taken aback.  
“I... I don't know.”, he replied, and looked back at the little Leybronn. He probably had a name, right? Or at least something he was called by other Leybronnen?  
“Oh! You should name him then!”, the nurse said with a bright smile, and Edward frowned, shaking his head lightly.  
“I'll think about it.”, he hummed, stepping away then. “When's the next appointment?”.

-

Once the last patient was gone, Edward stayed back like he usually did. Making sure everything was in order, noting what appointments were scheduled for the next day, and if they needed anything to be ordered again.

And after all that was done, he turned his attention back to the Leybronn, having settled on his rock again.

He had been hiding a lot, Edward had let himself be told. Sometimes peeking out between plants, mostly staying at the back of the tank behind the plants and rocks, where he was surrounded by the walls.  
Edward didn't blame him. The room wasn't exactly noisy, of course, but the Leybronn had probably sensed many people being there, and often looking at him or searching for him.

“Hey.”, he hummed softly, opening the top again. “I have some more food for you. You did great today. I hope it wasn't too stressful for you.”, he spoke quietly, dropping some shrimp into the tank. He smiled as he watched his little companion eat, clearly happy to get some more shrimp. Edward made sure to only give him a few, so he wouldn't overfeed him.

“Hey.”, he said again then, hoping to gain the little Leybronn's attention.  
“Do you have a name?”, he asked, hoping the other was listening to him. “Something to call you?”.

He didn't really expect an answer, but at least the Leybronn was looking towards him.  
“I'm Edward. My name.”, he said, holding a hand to his chest. They looked at each other for a while, before the Leybronn was swimming off again, and Edward sighed softly.  
“Alright. Maybe another time.”, he said and smiled lightly. He hoped he'd gain a name for the other. It was indeed rather awkward just thinking of him as the Leybronn, or companion. Surely he must have a name or something alike what Edward could call him.

He left his little companion there then, while he went ahead to do some more paperwork. There was always a lot to do, and he knew he couldn't open the clinic every day either. He needed to be there for the egos as well, and not just go back to the manor to sleep. Especially since the others would notice, and then would question why he suddenly had to be at the clinic so much. Yes there were times were Edward was desperately needed at the clinic, but it wasn't really time for it.

He didn't want to leave the Leybronn alone, though. He couldn't just leave for a whole day -he at least needed to be fed after all. And he wanted the Leybronn to get used to him, and perhaps gain his trust enough that he got a name from him.

The later it got, the less light was in the clinic. The tank had its own little light, and Edward had a light as well, of course. The light of the tank was set to go out on its own at a set time, but would activate again if there was movement inside the water.  
Edward's research had said that Leybronnen slept like humans, and thus usually needed light and dark. He knew his little one was blind, but that didn't mean he didn't think light wasn't necessary for him anyways.

It was already dark outside once Edward was finished for the night, and he was more than glad for the coffee machine in their little backroom. It didn't hold much except for a counter with the coffee machine, a microwave, a little fridge, and a little table with two chairs. It was enough for what they needed it for, which was usually just coffee anyways.

Rubbing his eyes, Edward yawned. He had pulled his head-mirror off some time ago already, which he pocketed now. He stood, carefully putting his documents away, and walked over to the aquarium. It was dark inside, and he couldn't spot the little Leybronn.  
“I hope you sleep well.”, Edward murmured, turning his own light off. He grabbed his overcoat and left the clinic then, locking the door and making sure everything was in order, before he started to make his way back to the manor.

-

“Hey there.”, Edward hummed, standing in front of the tank. He could see the Leybronn laying on his rock, and he was pretty certain he was listening to him.  
“I've got some food for you.”, Edward said, and he smiled lightly when the other's head moved to look towards him, and he pushed himself up a little.

It's been a little over a week now, since Edward bought the Leybronn and brought him here. The egos, thankfully, didn't mind him being gone for so much. They hadn't hurt themselves beyond what they couldn't fix themselves, and Edward felt a little less guilty about being away so much.  
He always talked with the little Leybronn, gave him food twice a day, and made sure he was alright. He didn't seem bothered being alone in the tank, and he had grown used to patients being around and the noise they brought with him.

And he had started to react to Edward, sometimes. He seemed to have learned what food meant, and perhaps even other words. Though of course food was the number one word to react to.

Edward dropped a few shrimp into the water, and he watched the little creature as he got them and ate. It made him wonder if bigger sized mer-creatures also had such sharp teeth and ate meat and fish like that. He had never seen them before, and he didn't know how human they looked like either, and he didn't really want to find out either.  
It was honestly kind of cute how the Leybronn hunted his shrimp, even though they were already dead. He was really fast and precise, always with just a few clicks for his echolocation before he shot off like a rubber band snapping.

He waited patiently for the other to be done eating, before he softly spoke up again.  
“Hey.”, Edward said, and he saw the Leybronn looking towards him, making him smile. So he did know when he was spoken to as well, which was good.  
“Do you have a name? What are you called?”, he asked, and he hoped the little creature understood. “I'm Edward. Doctor Edward Iplier.”.

The Leybronn looked at him, before slowly swimming to the surface. He shook his head, water flying around, and he held onto the little floating platform. He made some clicking sounds, before looking towards Edward again.  
“Hello.”, Edward said softly, watching curiously. The Leybronn blinked at him, probably taking some time to switch to breathing air instead of inside the water.  
“Hello?”. His voice was.. curious, to say the least. It was closely resembling a human's voice, but it had a certain... strangeness to it as well.

Edward really liked it.

“What's your name?”, Edward asked again, and he watched the little creature tilt his head.  
“Name?”, he repeated, and Edward hummed in confirmation, nodding.

The Leybronn said... _something_ , then, which Edward didn't really understand. It was clearly the language of Leybronnen, but it _also_ sounded like a name. It was just.. something Edward wasn't sure how to pronounce himself.

“Uhm..”, he fiddled with the label of his coat. “Name?”, asked again, hoping to hear it again.  
And the Leybronn did repeat it, and Edward hoped he wouldn't be offended if he tried to make sense of it in English.  
“H..Host?”, Edward tried, and the Leybronn _chittered_ in response, clearly speaking again, and Edward hoped that this wasn't a mad response. He heard something that sounded similar to Edward, which made him smile lightly.  
“Edward.”, he said, and the little one shut up. He said something obviously trying to repeat it, but it did sound weird.  
“Host?”, Edward tried again then, and he laughed softly at the absolute _adorable_ little _pout_ he got in response. Host splashed the water with his hands then and dove back under water, making Edward giggle.

“Host it is then.”, Edward said with a smile. He watched Host vanish between the plants, and he couldn't help the fond smile. He was really cute, and he was really glad he got a name out of him now. It felt like Host trusted him now, at least a little bit. Enough to try and talk with him.

Edward went back to work then. It was early in the morning, and he was always the first one here. He greeted the nurses with a smile, and it was obvious he had a good mood. No one questioned it, but no one was bothered either, obviously.  
It wasn't a very stressful day today, with not many appointments or walk-ins, and Edward spend some time watching Host, happy to know his name finally. He was so cute, and so pretty as well. Edward loved his golden scales, and his interesting but beautiful eyes.

It was weird, but he supposed it wasn't that weird as well. People loved the look of animals as well, after all, thinking they were gorgeous. And, as sad as it was, Leybronnen were seen as animals.

At the end of the day, Edward had gotten some shrimp again. He had finished his usual evening round as usual, and feeding Host was added to the end of his routine now. And Edward quite enjoyed that, truthfully.

“Hey Host.”, he said softly when he came over, and Host reacted, peeking out between the greenery of the plants. It made Edward smile, seeing him react to him.  
“I've got food for you.”, he hummed, and Host's ears twitched. Edward chuckled softly and opened the top of the tank, to drop the shrimp into the water.

Host, of course, was quick to speed towards them and eat. Edward always wondered why Host did, since he probably knew that they were already dead.  
Well, he supposed Host might need the exercise? He didn't swim around a lot during the day, as far as Edward had noticed at the very least. Maybe he should give Host the opportunity to swim around somewhere larger? The problem with that, though, was that he had no other place for Host to swim around at.

As Edward sat down to work again, his mind wandered.

He couldn't keep Host here all alone for a full day or even more and only come by to feed him twice a day. But he needed to stay with the egos again as well, since they needed him as much as other people. And while he was the head doctor here, who was here the most, there were other doctors as well working here.

But he couldn't bring him to the ego manor either.

Well, perhaps he could? He would need a tank in his room, or perhaps in his little clinic, and all the necessary things as well. The filter and all the things for inside the tank. He supposed he needed some place to put Host for when he needed to clean the tank here too, though. It'd take time, to clean everything, and perhaps he could leave Host in the manor for a while as he did?  
Perhaps not, but he also didn't want to leave Host in a little bag for however long it would take him to clean the tank. Well, he supposed maybe he could leave Host in a water-filled sink? It'd be nicer probably, for Host, even if it wasn't the best alternative.

Shaking his head, he sighed. He could look into getting a tank into his room or clinic, but for now, he needed to work. So, pushing personal thoughts aside, he began working.

“Edward!”

Edward was startled out of his focus when he heard a voice calling his name. Looking up, he noticed how dark it had gotten outside. Checking the time, he was surprised to see how late it already was. He had barely noticed.

“Edward!”

The voice again, and Edward looked around, before looking towards the tank. The light was on, and he could see the golden tail high up. Ah, Host.  
Edward stood up, cleaning up the desk, and turned off the light. Walking over to Host, he tilted his head lightly, curious what the Leybronn wanted from him.

“Yes, Host?”, he asked, clearly curious.  
“Hope you sleep well.”, Host said, confusing Edward. He licked his lips, thinking for a moment, before realization dawned and a little “oh” left him.  
“You've noticed I've been up too long, hm?”, he said and smiled lightly. Seemed like Host had gotten used to the usual time Edward left normally, and noticing Edward was still here, wondered _why_ he was still here.  
“Thank you for telling me, Host.”.

Host looked towards Edward, ears twitching slightly. He was tired, having been awake longer than usual as well. He just woke slightly every time Edward said goodbye to him, and since that hadn't happened this time -but he had woken anyways because he was used to it now- he had needed to find out why.

Host chirped, surprising Edward but making him smile, before he dove back under water. He swam to his little hiding space between plants and rocks, and settled down to sleep.  
Edward watched with a soft smile, before he grabbed his coat. It was.. it was really cute. Host was obviously smart, and he couldn't wait to get closer to him. Well, “closer”. He wanted to get to know his little friend, if he could.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's going really slow but y'know  
> Slowburn lol


	3. Chapter 3

Another week passed.

Edward had taken two days out of those seven -because of course he would work seven days a week- to stay at the manor, and two days were only half as well normally. But this way he got Host a little more used to being alone for an extended period of time, which the Leybronn didn't seem to mind too much. Edward still came in the mornings and evenings to feed Host, bringing him little bits of meat instead of the usual shrimp. Host seemed to enjoy the difference.

During the week, Edward also got to talk more with Host.  
Whenever he closed up for the night in the clinic, after he fed Host, he talked a little with him. In the beginning, Host had been reluctant, often cutting it all short -mostly because he seemed frustrated, Edward would say, because he couldn't speak English well.

Edward still giggled whenever Host pronounced things funny, and he loved how adorable Host looked like when he pouted in return. It was utterly adorable.

But Host got better with understanding English and speaking it as well, and Edward greatly enjoyed his time with Host. It was nice, and the little Leybronn was adorable with his cute little accent as he spoke in his own language. Edward even learned a few words of that as well, which had brought great amusement to Host -because Edward's pronunciation was terrible of course- and let Edward hear the little Leybronn's laughter for the first time.

It was so cute, and pretty. It was a melodic sound, and Edward enjoyed it. He sometimes didn't even try to pronounce things correctly just to amuse Host and hear him laugh some more.

Edward also got a tank in his little clinic portion in the manor. Well, it was just a room, but that didn't mean it wasn't a fully equipped clinic. It was for the egos after all, and they got shot, bruised, broke bones, got sick, other various injuries... He needed to be ready for pretty much everything.

And it'd be the best place for a little aquarium, since Edward spend most of his time there, instead of inside of his room. It wouldn't make sense to put it there when he wasn't there a lot, otherwise he could just leave Host in the clinic after all.  
And since he didn't want to do that, he had made room for another tank, get water and plants for it as well. Just as many as the one in the clinic, because he was more than certain the egos would stress Host out more than the patients did, and he only had one wall to put the tank against, to give Host some more privacy.

With two weeks having passed, Edward should clean the tank in the clinic anyways. Now, he just had to figure out what to do with Host, for the time being. And, ask him if he wanted to come home with him for a while.

“Host?”, he spoke. The clinic was closed for the rest of the day, and Edward was the one locking up, as usual. He had already given Host some food this morning too, so there was nothing to worry about.  
The little Leybronn perked up being called, and swam towards the glass, quick to get above water so he could talk with Edward. He was a lot more open to do so, greatly enjoying having someone to talk with.  
“I'd like to bring you home with me, if you'd like? There's a nice tank at home just like this one.”, Edward said, smiling lightly. Host was tilting his head, ears twitching. Edward was pretty sure twitching ears meant curiousity, perhaps even thinking.

“Home?”, Host questioned, and Edward smiled, nodding.  
“Yes, home. Away from here.”, he replied. Host looked like he was thinking again, eyes narrowing as he faced Edward.  
“Away. Home.”, he repeated, and Edward nodded again, humming in confirmation.  
“No water?”, Host asked then. He didn't want to be out of the water -he couldn't survive outside of it for long after all.  
“You'd be in a bag again. Or, a bucket?”, Edward tried. A bucket would probably be better than a bag, even if it was harder to transport for him.  
“Bucket?”, Host questioned, unsure what Edward meant.  
“Like a small tank. Little water. Little space.”, Edward hoped it was put simply enough for Host to manage to understand. He didn't want to try to make it seem like Host was stupid -because he was very intelligent- but he also didn't understand a lot of English.

Host scrunched up his face. He didn't like that thought. “Why?”, he asked then. Edward had made sure to teach Host the essential questions and some replies, depending on what it was.  
“I don't want to leave you alone so much. You know how I'm gone a lot?”, Edward replied, and he hoped Host would understand. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he knew Host would try as well.  
“Not alone much. Home with Edward.”, he said, and Edward nodded again, humming in confirmation. He always hummed together with his nodding, since he knew Host couldn't exactly see him.  
“Okay.”, Host said then and nodded. He would like to go home with Edward, because he didn't like being alone when the clinic was closed, and he didn't like the nurses and other doctors. Not that anyone of them really cared for him, but still.

Edward was startled by the easy okay Host gave him, before he laughed lightly.  
“Okay! I'll clean your tank first, okay? Just rest on your rock for a while.”, Edward said with a smile, and went ahead to get everything he'd need.

He had researched how to clean the tank, and was surprised -but glad- that he didn't have to get all the water out. Just a bit of it, and there was this magnetic sponge like thing to clean the glass with. And the filter was really easy to clean as well.  
So he went to work, humming lightly as he worked like. Only the chemistry thing to make sure the water was liveable for Host could be an issue, but he knew somewhat what to look for.

Host stayed laying on his rock, ears twitching at the disturbance of the water, but he was relaxed. He knew Edward was just taking care of the water and that he was cleaning, taking care of everything, so he wasn't really paying it any mind.

Once Edward was done, and had filled the water back up and made sure everything is alright, he went ahead to get a bucket he could take to the car with him. He filled it with water and added the things Host needed for the water to be okay, before setting it down.

He realized he had no way to get Host out of the tank, though.

“Host?”, Edward spoke up once more, and Host looked up, soon swimming up to the surface again.  
“We're ready to go.”, he said, and Host nodded. Edward shifted where he stood, before sighing.  
“I'll hold my hand close to you, okay? And you can hold on. I'll help you into the bucket, okay? Trust me.”. He hoped that that would work. He didn't know, but he didn't want to hurt Host either. He didn't have anything like a net or something to help Host out of the water and into the bucket.  
“Hold tight.”, Host said, and Edward nodded, confirming.

Edward held his hand close to the water surface then, close to Host. And he held his other hand behind him as well.  
“You may lay in my other hand. Just stay calm.”, Edward said softly. Host chirped, nodding, and held onto Edward's hand. His little hands were wet and slippery, and felt strange in comparison to Edward's skin.  
Edward carefully pulled Host up out of the water then, using his second hand to lay Host in as he was quick to move the little Leybronn to the bucket, while also marvelling at the feeling of the scales against his hand.

It felt like a fish. Which, truthfully, wasn't that surprising. But it was.. also kind of strange, still. Host's scales were covered by a sheen of something almost slimy, so his scales wouldn't get dislodged or hurt.

Edward wondered what it might feel like dry. But, he knew Host couldn't let his tail dry out, unless he wanted to risk dying, and Edward was more than certain that Host did not want that.  
Edward didn't want that either, of course.

He carefully lifted the bucket then and made his way to the car, setting it down and carefully driving back to the manor. He was pretty sure none of the other egos would come bother him, but... he just hoped none actually would.  
Edward carried the bucket as quickly as he could to his room -his clinic room in the manor- and was more than relieved to not cross any ego's path, and that no one was in the clinic at the moment.

“Here we are.”, Edward said, going over to the tank. He opened the top, turning on the light and filter, before crouching down again.  
“Just like before, okay? You hold onto my hand, and I'll help you out.”, Edward said, and Host peeked out of the water.  
“Out.”, he agreed and nodded, clearly having been uncomfortable with being inside of the bucket for so long. The journey had been a bit longer than usual, since Edward had had to drive slower and more careful.

Edward helped Host out of the bucket and into the tank just like he had helped him a while ago, and he watched with a light smile as Host swam around, exploring his second home.

“There we go.”, Edward smiled, watching Host. He seemed happy with his second home, and Edward was relieved. He wanted him to be comfortable after all, and he had tried his best to add the same plants as before, but had arranged it all differently. He tried to make the corner away from the door next to the wall secluded with rocks and plants, so Host had a place he definitely wouldn't be seen, while keeping him able to still swim around and be seen if he wanted to.

There was clattering in the hallway, followed by a yelp and the distinctive _thump_ of a body hitting the ground.

“I need to go check on that. I'll be back, Host.”, Edward told the little Leybronn, before he hurried outside to find out what had happened, leaving Host behind.

Host didn't exactly mind, he was used to Edward not being around a whole lot while he was working after all. Edward was always busy, and Host used the time to just relax, or swim in circles. The past few days, he had even taken to chirping at little children, when he noticed they were staring at him.

It was kind of nice to hear the laughter of such little humans.

Now, it was quiet. No patients, no nurses, nothing. It was just like days were the clinic was closed. Though, he could usually hear cars passing outside, sometimes music, sometimes people screaming or laughing and such.  
It was really really quiet here. He could hear people in the hallway, though. Their steps were all so loud, or maybe it was just because of the silence in the clinic that all other sounds were so loud to him.

Suddenly the door was thrown open, and Host quickly swam behind plants, barely peeking out between the green. He didn't like sudden loud noises like that.

“Aha! So the doctor is back in house!”, it was a male voice, loud and boisterous. There was a drawl to it, and that made it even harder for Host to understand what was being said. More steps sounded as the man walked into the clinic, presumably looking around.

“Huh, this wasn't here before.”, Wilford hummed as he found the tank, standing in front of it. Thumbs tugged into his suspenders, he watched intently, seeing the waters bubble from the filter, and otherwise still water.  
Until he spotted movement, and his face lit up into a bright smile.

“Aha! A living being!”, he exclaimed, and he went ahead to _tap tap tap_ on the glass. It made the little Leybronn cringe and hold his hands over his ears, but Wilford _kept going_ and it didn't seem like he'd _stop_.  
Host quickly swam to the front of the glass, and _thankfully_ Wilford stopped assaulting his ears with the reverberating noise of tapping against the glass like that.

“Oho!”, Wilford tilted his head, leaning in close, almost pressing his face against the glass as he watched the little creature curiously. “Never seen one of your kind before! How very interesting indeed!”.  
Host wasn't happy with how loud Wilford's voice was, making him stand out so much against all of Host's surroundings -he saw with sound, after all. He was just glad he was engulfed in water, making Wilford's voice a little warbled and muffled. It didn't hurt quite as much.

Host's head snapped up when he heard the tank being opened, and he tried to swim away when there was suddenly a hand in the water. Sadly, he only had so much space, and Wilford's hand wrapped around him.  
He trashed, twisting and turning until he could sink his teeth as deep as they could go into Wilford's hand. Thankfully Wilford hadn't managed to pull him out, and he pulled back when he was bit, with a cry of pain.

“Feisty.”, Wilford eyed Host with narrowed eyes, inspecting his hand. The bite wasn't terrible, seeing how Host's head wasn't even an inch big, but it was deep. His teeth really were razor sharp, and judging from how the wound looked like, at least two rows of them close to each other.

“Come on, I just wanted a closer look, little one!”, Wilford said, wiping his hand clean with a handkerchief, which promptly exploded into a puff of pink mist and glitter, before vanishing completely.  
Wilford then just used his powers to pull out a bubble of water, which contained the Host. The little Leybronn froze when his little clicks informed him that he was being moved, he could feel the water moving around him, and it scared him immensely.

“There we go! Come along now.”, Wilford hummed and turned to leave the clinic. The water bubble floated behind him, and Host thankfully moved along with it. The Leybronn wasn't comfortable with it, but there was worse, he supposed. Like the big meaty hand that had wrapped around him like that earlier.

But, Host's clicking showed him his surroundings, and it was... it was really interesting. His curiousity won over his fear, and he tried pushing his hands out of the water. He managed, and he could feel the water dripping off of his fingers. Curiously, he peeked his head out of the water, feeling it drip from his hair and his ears.  
“Hello?”, he spoke, because what else was he supposed to do while he was kidnapped?  
“Hm?”, Wilford stopped walking, twirling around. He looked curiously around, before Host chirped to get his attention again, and Wilford's gaze looked towards him.

“Oh! Well hello to you to, little darling!”, Wilford said with a smile. He tilted his head as he watched Host, more than curious.  
“Home? Edward?”, Host questioned, wondering why he was being taken from his home. Second home. From where Edward had put him and expected him to be.  
“Ah! So your Edward's pet, hm?”, Wilford hummed, and he twirled the end of his moustache between his fingers, pulling the curls away slightly and feeling them bounce back.  
“Pet?”, Host furrowed his “brows” -he didn't really have any hairy brows like a human had, but there was definite space where ones could be and moved like with brows. “I'm Host!”, he chirped. He didn't know what a pet was, but he wasn't pet! He was Host!  
“Host, huh? Well, I'm Wilford! Wilford Warfstache, reporter of big and small!”, Wilford introduced himself with a bright smile, uncaring if Host could see him or not.

“Wil.”, Host said, tilting his head left and right. Strange, but he could manage that. He managed Edward, he could manage Wilford. With time, perhaps.  
“Let's continue onward, Host!”, Wilford exclaimed and twirled back around, continuing his big strides down the hallway.

Host let himself glide into the water again, settling back and letting himself be dragged along. He had no idea what was going to happen, but he hoped he'd be safe, and that he'd be back in his tank again soon -if only for the comfort of knowing where he was, and that Edward would come back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there's only Wilford now and no shenanigans but it took half the chapter to even get Host to the manor so  
>  _next chapter. promise. shenanigans_


	4. Chapter 4

It turned out that Host would not be safe staying with Wilford. Not safe at all.

Bim had found them next, and he had been more than excited to see the Leybronn. Funnily enough, they were in the kitchen when they had found Bim -Host was helpless to where they were going, and Wilford almost seemed to forget he had the water bubble floating behind him.

“Oh!”, Bim exclaimed, eyes wide. “A Leybronn!”.  
“A what?”, Wilford questioned, tilting his head. Very much confused.  
“That little mermaid you have, that's a Leybronn!”, Bim explained with a bright grin, and Wilford let the bubble float towards Bim, who took in his appearance with a spark in his eyes.  
“Leybronnen are highly sought after, because their meat is very special. It's a mix of the white fish-meat and the red meat of beef, giving it a very unique taste. They're usually very expensive to get, because how small they are. They don't have a lot of meat, after all.”, Bim rambled, and the more he did, Host got more and more _scared_. He may not understand every word, but he definitely understood what he was talking about.

“They're food?”, Wilford asked, furrowing his brows. A strange way to store food, and he didn't take Edward to be someone who did that.  
“Oh yes! Surely they can be kept as pets as well, I suppose, but I much prefer to eat them. They taste _really_ good, you can eat them raw on sushi or cook them carefully, and _god_ they taste amazing.”, Bim swooned, and he may have been cooking some lunch already, meaning he had a cutting board and knives out.

Bim easily grabbed Host out of the water, and he seemed to know better how to, because he grabbed him by the end of his tail. It made him unable to reach him to bite or even really scratch, making him defenceless completely.  
Bim draped Host over the cutting board, making the Leybronn gasp in pain. It hurt to be sort of smacked on the board, and he greatly disliked that. It fucking hurt.  
Bim kept him held on the board with his hand, nothing in reach for the little creature to grab to use to his advantage. He grabbed a knife, setting it on the spot where he would cut -a bit below where the scales of the tail ended- and reeled the knife back.

Host was stock still, terrified, eyes wide as he stared up to where he knew Bim was.

“What are you doing there?”, a new voice joined them, the sound of whirring fans and slight beeps announcing the presence of Google. It stopped Bim from slaughtering Host, and he began trashing again. Bim held him tightly though.  
“Oh, Google! Look what Wilford found!”, Bim exclaimed with a bright smile, motioning with the knife towards Host, who was making distressed noises.  
“Not food! Leave me!”, Host yelled, taking desperate breaths. He didn't want to die! Neither get his tail chopped off nor dry up on land. He hated it, he hated Bim already!  
Google beeped, walking over and taking in the clear signs of distress. Bim fully ignored the Leybronn, while Wilford was already off busy making himself something to eat -sugary sweet as always, of course.  
“I believe the creature is in distress.”, Google said, looking at Bim. Bim shrugged lightly, waving the knife around.  
“I was about to chop its tail off.”, he said, clearly uncaring about the sentient being in his hand.

“No! No killing! Leave me!”, Host was scared, he was _terrified_ , and he wanted to curl up and die. Google looked down at the Leybronn hearing him scream like that, before he pulled away Bim's hand and picked up the creature. Host screeched, startled and terrified, and Google grabbed a little pot and let water fill into it.  
“Hey!”, Bim exclaimed, pouting. “I wanted to eat that!”.  
“This creature is in clear emotional distress which it articulated verbally.”, Google said, beeping as he turned to look at Bim. “I do not believe that you have acquired it yourself, as I have helped Doctor Iplier to install a tank into the clinic.”.  
Bim had the decency to blush in embarrassment, and grudgingly went back to making his own lunch, grumbling to himself how unfair the world was to him.

Once the pot was filled, Google dropped Host into it. He yelped, and clicks left him when he hit the bottom of the pot. He curled up, scared and in pain again. He was glad he was at least in water again, and he didn't care when he felt the pot and water moving again.

“I apologize for the behaviour Bim and Wilford have shown toward you. They are quite unwilling to do as being told.”, Google said, voice mechanical and unemotional. He wasn't good with emotions at all, and didn't emote a whole lot. Many things were simply unable to be understood for him.  
“I am assuming I am correct in saying you are the doctor's pet, supposed to be in the tank in the clinic.”, he didn't expect a response from the Leybronn, though he did look down into the pot to see how it was doing. Seeing Host still curled into himself, he assumed he was alright.

They were soon inside the clinic, and Google found the tank with the top open and water drops on the ground. He was certain this was where Host had been kidnapped from, so he carefully set the pot down on the ground.  
“I will transfer you back into the tank now.”, Google said as warning, waiting to see if he got a reaction. Not receiving one, he beeped in annoyance. He cupped his hands and carefully scooped Host up, before bringing his hands with Host in them into the water of the tank.  
As soon as Host was back in his home -a few chirps confirming his surroundings- he was off to hide inside the plants again, unwilling to let himself be grabbed again.  
Google closed the top of the tank again, and went ahead to wipe the ground dry, before he watched the tank. He was intrigued, never before having seen a live Leybronn, and he wanted to observe. He knew he may not get to see anything, but still, he decided to watch and take notes on Host's behaviour. He added what he had recorded in the kitchen as well.

It was hours later when Edward came back, and he was startled to find Google standing in front of the tank. A few steps away, of course, but very much there and staring at the tank. Host had gotten used to him being here finally, and had settled to lay on a rock again.

“Google?”, Edward tilted his head, surprised. The android turned to Edward, inclining his head at him.  
“Doctor.”.  
“What are you doing here?”, Edward looked over to the tank, glad to see Host resting and still alright. He had some dark spots on his back now, though, which concerned him.  
“I was observing the Leybronn, doctor. I had found it with Wilford and Bim in the kitchen, where I was informed that Bim was about to slaughter and eat it.”, Google replied, perfectly calm and alright with what he was repeating.  
“What?!”, Edward immediately hurried over to the tank, worry etched into his features.  
“Host? Host are you hurt? Are you alright?”, he asked, extremely worried. The little Leybronn's ears twitched, and he shifted, but nodded at Edward's words. He was a little hurt, but it'd be alright. It were just some bruises, they'd heal.  
Edward sighed in relief, running a hand through his hair. He was glad that Host was alright, and not hurt. He had a stern talking to to do with Bim and Wilford later on. He couldn't believe Wilford had actually kidnapped Host, and that Bim had tried to _chop his tail off_.

“His name is Host, Google. He's not an it.”, Edward addressed Google then, and the android beeped in reply, nodding. He noted that down as well, name, gender and pronouns.  
Edward continued watching them for a while, before he went ahead to go look over the clinic. See if everything was alright, before he could get to paperwork. He always had things here from the clinic, whatever he didn't need to do daily and needn't do in the clinic itself.

-

After a while, Host began to stir again. He had rested some, and felt a lot better than before, especially after the whole Fiasko he had gone through with Bim. That had been terrifying, and he was more than certain he never wanted to be close to that person again.  
He chirped, listening to the echoes bouncing back to him to map out what outside his tank was. He couldn’t see far with his little chirps like that, but he could make out close things.

Such as Google.

He tilted his head, curious. The general shape of him were just like the others, almost. Google had wider shoulders and slimmer hips, while Bim had wide hips and was smaller, and Wilford was wide in general, as well as tall. And Edward was a little wider in his waist.  
Host was aware that that was the person who had saved him from certain death, but he didn’t really know anything about him. He seemed rather unemotional, from what he had heard, and factual. It was interesting!

He swam around his tank then, wanting to move. He’d been stuck in a bubble and then out of water for quite some time after all, and he wanted to get moving now. He couldn’t really exhaust himself here, but more movement was better than none at all.  
Google watched him, fascinated. Of course he had all possibly things of data available to him, but seeing such things firsthand was a lot different than reading about it or seeing a video. He could analyze the movements of the Leybronn, see how his muscles worked like, perhaps he’d even get to see it eat. The way it chirped to locate obstacles and probably communicated like, it was truly wondrous.

Edward left the clinic again, askin Google to keep an eye on Host while he was gone. Google beeped in confirmation, nodding. He’d take care that Host wouldn’t come to harm again -an order was an order. Or, well, Edward had just kindly asked him to please make sure Host wouldn’t be kidnapped again. And since Google was curious about the Leybronn anyways, he hadn’t seen a reason to say no to the request.  
So he watched the small creature swimming around, before Host surfaced. He held onto the little bit of wood Edward had placed inside for Host to hold onto and perhaps sit if he could, and made more chirping sounds.

“Are you using echolocation as means of sight?”, Google questioned. Having heard the Leybronn speak before, he trusted he’d get an answer.  
“What?”, Host replied in question, tilting his head and looking over at Google. He had no clue what the android wanted of him.  
“Your chirps.”, Google said and beeped, “Do you use them to see?”. He noted down the limited vocabulary Host seemed to have of the English language.  
“See? I not see. I hear.”, Host replied. He hoped that was what Google had been asking him, since he wasn’t certain.  
“Yes.”, Google nodded, beeping softly once more. “You hear your chirps, which tells you where things are. And thus, you see with hearing. That’s called echolocation.”, Google explained, and Host nodded, chirping in reply. Google was glad the little creature seemed to understand.

“I’m Host. You name?”, Host asked then. Edward had taught him quite a few things to get around, since he had been certain he’d bring him here and Host may need to communicate with others.  
“I am Google Blue. Google will suffice.”, Google answered, and watched Host nod, saying something in his language.

“Goog.”, Host said.

“Google.”, Google corrected.

“Goog.”, Host said again, and Google was rather certain he wouldn’t get him to say his name properly.

“Goog, Ed, Wil, Bim.”, Host counted each person he had met so far and heard their name. Four people, one of which wanted to eat him, and one who had kidnapped him very rudely.

“Yes. Google, Edward, Wilford, Bim.”, Google corrected, if only because the Leybronn needed to learn it somehow. It wouldn’t do any good if he would just continue with his limited words and never learn how to properly articulate.  
“Goog like Ed?”, Host asked then. Google, so far, was kind to him. A little strange and unfeeling perhaps, but at least he wasn’t hurting him intentionally.  
“If I am like the doctor?”, Google questioned, though received no answer. Host just stared at him with milky eyes.  
“I suppose in regards to your treatment, I am. I will not bring harm upon you.”, Google said, and Host smiled, chirping happily. Google noted his behaviour, though his lips were smiling. As soon as he noticed, his face went back to a neutral position.

Host said something in his language then, chirping slightly, and Google beeped. Intrigued, Host chirped again, looking towards Google, ears twitching slightly. Google tilted his head slightly and beeped again in reply, which seemed to make Host happy, since he happily chirped and tweeted, ears fluttering.  
The two of them chirped and beeped back and forth, until Edward came back. He watched them, an eyebrow raised as he listened.  
“Am I interrupting?”, He questioned, and both Google and Host turned to face the doctor.  
Host exclaimed a happy “Ed!”, and Google shook his head lightly.  
“The doctor wasn’t interrupting. We were merely….”, Google tried to think of a way to describe what they had been doing, but he couldn’t really think of anything.  
“Having fun?”, Edward suggested with a smile, walking to the tank to open the top, so he could give Host something to eat. It was getting late.  
“I suppose it was an activity without a solid reason, and thus could be considered "fun”.“, Google agreed and nodded. He didn’t think he could feel something like fun, but, it had been nice to beep at Host’s chirps.

Google watched with interest as Edward dropped some pieces of meat into the water, and the Leybronn proceeded to hunt and eat them. It was most curious indeed, and he made sure to record it, as well as taking notes. It was very interesting, and much like the videos he had found about Leybronnen earlier.  
Once Host was done eating, he settled on a rock to rest again, not minding Google being there and seeing him in the slightest now. Google was nice, and he had enjoyed chirping with him.

Google continued watching Host for a while, before he received a message from the other Googles that they had a new task to do.  
“I have to go now, Doctor Iplier.”, Google informed Edward, and he hummed from where he sat at his desk.  
“Alright Google. Feel free to come by again to see Host again, if you'd like.”, Edward said and gave Google a smile, before he continued with his work.  
“Thank you. I certainly will.”, Google turned back to face Host. “Goodbye, Host. Until again.”, he said, and he saw Host look to him and nod, before he left.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may just do one more chapter and end it  
> Meet some more egos perhaps  
> Cus I have no idea what else more to do lol


End file.
